Summary: The Defending Internet Freedom Act [PDF], put forward by Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA), would see the creation of a board made up of techies and reps from the domain name world, as well as a new consortium to run the critical IANA body.

Bill would protect Internet from foreign government control

WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) – a member of the House Ways and Means Committee – issued the following statement today after introducing H.R. 5737, the Defending Internet Freedom Act of 2014. The legislation would prevent the Obama administration, or that of any future president, from relinquishing the critical functions of the Internet – currently stewarded by the United States – to any other entity without enhanced congressional oversight and until explicit, freedom-protecting requirements are met. It is being co-sponsored by House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), who also serves as chairman and co-founder of the Congressional High Tech Caucus.

Statement by Rep. Kelly:

“Preserving Internet freedom is an American duty. The requirements within this bill will guarantee that the Internet remains unchained and out of the grasp of bad actors and hostile powers that actively limit freedom.

“It is no coincidence that the Internet has been able to safely flourish beyond anyone’s imagination under the stewardship of a nation devoted to democratic principles. These principles – American principles – are indispensable to the free flow of information online, which benefits billions of citizens worldwide. Therefore, our stewardship must never be surrendered to an entity that does not venerate liberty and openness as we do. Whether the Obama administration understands it or not, America has strong interests in ensuring that freedom of speech and commerce remain maximally protected on the Internet for people everywhere, now and into the future.”

James Barnley

I’m the editor of the DomainingAfrica. I write about internet and social media, focusing mainly on Domains. As a subscriber to my newsletter, you’ll get a lot of information on Domain Issues, ICANN, new gtld’s, Mobile technology and social media.